V. Teneggi, N. Oprandi, S. Milleri, L. Squassante, M. Niero, D. Berto F. Arpinelli, A. Bye - Vol. 7, Dicembre 2001, num.4
Testo Immagini Bibliografia Summary Riassunto Indice
Verifica della validità esteriore
e del contenuto della versione italiana
di tre questionari su craving e astinenza da fumo di sigarette
Assessment of face and content validity
of the Italian version
of three questionnaires on cigarette smoke craving and withdrawal
Background
Smoking behaviour maintenance recognises nicotine addiction as a primary process. Smoking cessation causes craving and withdrawal symptoms. These are considered to be the main factors to cause smoking cessation failure and/or relapse after a period of successful cessation.
Standardized questionnaires and scales are the only instruments available to assess cigarette craving and withdrawal symptoms. In order to compare study results across countries, the same instruments must be used and their psychometric properties have to be tested in each country involved.
Objectives
Assess face and content validity of the italian version of three questionnaires already existing and widely used in English namely: Questionnaire On Smoking Urges - Short Form-Tiffany e Drobes (QSU-SF), Schneider Smoker Compliant Scale (SCS) and Shiffman-Jarvik Smoking Withdrawal Questionnaire (SWQ).
Methods
This was a focus group (FG) based study. Overall 17 subjects: ex smokers, smokers trying to cut down and regular smokers were recruited into a 2 hour study session. They were asked to: discuss about complaints related to cigarette smoke cessation/abstinence (eg:craving and withdrawal symptoms); fill the Italian version of the three questionnaires and provide feedback on the content of each of them. The sentences used by participants to the FG were evaluated according to the motivational factors of Tate and pharmacological/non pharmacological dimensions of Russell.
Results
Concepts emerged from the FG were expressed by mean of 212 sentences. Most of these (63%) were attributed to the pharmacological dimension and less (37%) to the non-pharmacological dimension. The acute cigarette smoke cessation pattern (eg: craving and withdrawal) fall in the pharmacological dimension, mainly with factor ADD (39%) and in the non-pharmacological dimension, mainly with fatcor IND (22%).
Most part of items of the three questionnaires (95%) has found correspondence in participant sentences. After some time (3-6 months) since cigarette smoke cessation, craving, without other symptoms of acute withdrawal, seems to appear sometime, as a rationalised desire (unconscious craving).
Conclusions
The study allowed to verify the face and content validity of the Italian version of the three questionnaires. Other studies are ongoing in order to complete the assessment of their validity, reliability and responsiveness.
The study outlined also some possible differences in craving, between recent and long term Italian ex- smokers. This aspect will need to be further investigated and understood.